Q: I am 5 months pregnant and have a severe cold for the past 15 days. I took Coldact for it but it doesn't seem to subside. What could be the effect of cold on the baby? Please suggest some remedy?

A:A cold on its own will have no adverse effect on the baby. Coldact is the brand name of a combination medicine that contains phenylpropanolamine (PPA), which has been banned the world over due to its potentially serious side effects including stroke, particularly in women. Due to lax laws, such globally discarded drugs continue to be produced and sold in India. Cold generally does not last for more than a week. I suggest you do steam inhalations 2-3 times a day with Sinarest Vapocaps, for 4-5 days.